Making an App Your Customers Will Use
If you would like to spend some time and effort in creating a mobile application, then it’s worth spending some time with your customers. Brand loyalty alone will not enthuse your customers to download or buy your application, nor use it on a longer term. Actually, the majority of users will choose good experience and design over brand loyalty.[1]
The best reason for wanting to create an app is because your loyal customers have asked for it in their droves. If your customers ask for it – then there’s a sure market for it, as long as the app works and does its job.
If your customers haven’t really asked for an app, then you’re better testing out the waters to see if they have any specific thoughts or ideas when prompted. Different customer bases will embrace tech at different levels. You know your customers very well, one hopes, but you might not be so familiar with the ways they use their mobile phones. Older customers may use their phone just for talking, and possibly texting, frequently travelling business people are far more likely to be connecting with their phone for emails, checking transport, and other on the fly requirements.
Remember, apps are not just for iPhones, so you might want to consider surveying your customers to see what the prevalent platform is, to ensure it really does work for them, rather than being 80% sure it will work on their handset because you’ve only tested on another handset.
Focus critically on your customer’s needs. Phone use occurs in short, intensive blasts, where a user has a couple of minutes to find something out. They need information or outcomes swiftly, and work in very linear behaviour patterns. Mobile phones are limited by bandwidth, processor sizes, lack of multithreading (inability to do more than one process at once), and size. Your users won’t need all the options, they’ll need the most essential function(s) to use while on the go.
Don’t forget about mobile websites. It may be you don’t need a mobile app just now, and that you need a little more time to find the app your customers really need. Demand will change, mobile handsets improve. 73 million mobile users use their phone to browse the web, and 69.6 million use apps. [2]
If your website is under performing for your customers on their mobiles, it may be worth investing time into sorting that first. Luckily, we can do that for you too!
[1] October 2010, Harris Interactive – US based sample of 780+ individuals surveyed on mobile applications
[2] June 2010, Comscore – Social Networking Ranks as Fastest Growing Mobile Content Category
